Lubricating grease-cup.



LUBRIGATING GREASE CUP.

APPLICATION FILED .TAN.15,1914

1,1 32120. Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

INVENTOR:

barren STATES PATENT A oirrroa CLARENCE S. RICE, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

LUBRICATING GREASE-CUP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 316, 1915.

Application filed January 15, 1914. Serial No. 8l2,329.

,chinery, the invention having reference more particularly to improvements in the covering and feeding appliances of cups of the above mentioned character.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved lubricating grease cup that shall be so constructed as to retain the cover and operating parts of the cup- 1n connection therewith at all times in order to prevent the misplacement, loss of, or in ury to any" of the parts when the cover 1s removed or shifted so as to uncover the cup to permlt it to be refilled.

1 Another object of the invention of equal importance is to provide an improved grease cup of such construction as to be capable of reliably feeding the lubrlcant as required.

A further object of the invention 1s to provide an improved cup cover and means for reliably securing the cover to the cup, so as to prevent displacement of the cover and the feeding appliances in operation with consequent loss of efficiency of the cup in performance of its function.

A still further object of the invention 18 to provide an improved compression grease cup that shall be adapted to be of compact form and so as to not be obstructive, and which shall be neat in appearance and so formed that it may be easily kept clean exteriorly and be durable and economical in use, the invention contemplating a grease cup that shall be adapted to be quickly refilled and to its full capacity.

With the above mentioned and other objects in View, the invention consists in a lubricator cup including a piston or plunger and a spring for feeding lubricant mounted in a cover that is adjustably connected with the cup proper, all being of novel construction and arrangement of parts so that the piston and its controlling rod assists in retaining the cover in normal position, and so that when the cover is shifted to uncover the cup proper the piston is retained in convenient position so as -to be quickly returned to the cup, the piston preferably being movable on its controlling rod so that when the cup is filled and the piston is sustained upon the lubricant, the rod may be pushed in so as to not interfere with adjacent structures or machinery. And the invention consists further in the novel parts .and in the combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a -vertical central section of a lubricating grease cup constructed substantially in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan View of the cup partially broken away in which the position of the cover when shifted is indicated by broken.

lines. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the cup partially broken away in which the cover thereof is shifted so as to uncover the cup, the piston being retained in the cover in convenient position for replacing it in the cup. Fig. 4: is a central section of the piston as preferably constructed of pressed sheet metal so as to be recessed for receiving the compression spring preferably employed. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cup part partially broken away. Fig. 6 is a' perspective View of the improved cover part of the cup inverted. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the piston, its controlling rod and the spring in connection with a fragmentary section of the cover part.

Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to.

In practically carrying out the objects of the invention various metals are employed, and in order to eliminate excessive weight incidental to the use of castings, sheet metal preferably is employed and suitably shaped to form the principal parts, such as the cup proper and its cover. A suitably supporting base Or shank 1 is provided which preferably has external screw threads 2 whereby to secure it to a journal box or elsewhere, the base or shank having a feed duct 3 therein, a suitable feed valve 4.- being rotatably arranged in the base or shank and having a port 5 therein, 50- that the passage of the lubricant through the duct may be regulated. The cup part for retaining the lubricant comprises a cylindrical wall portion 6-having a bottom 7 that is suitably fixed to the base or shank 1 so as to normally be in upright position, the upper end of th cylindrical portion 6 having a flange 8 t ereon which extends outward and preferably extends continuously about the cylindrical portion. One portion of the flange serves as a pivoting ear and ledge and has a pivot or post hole 9 therein receiving a pivot or post 10 which, as will be seen, extends longitudinally of the cup part: at one side thereof. The'flange on the opposite side of the cup is recessed so as to form a receding edge 11 and leave a relatively narrow flange portion 12, and a stop shoulder or guide abutment 13 at the end of the recess and adapted to guide the cover so'as to be fair or in alinement with the cylindrical portion 6 of the cup part.

The improved cover comprises a cylindrical side portion 14 corresponding in diameter to the wall portion 6 of the cup part 7 so as to receive the piston, and a top portion 15 connected to the side portion to effeet a closure for the cup, the middle of the top portion having a guide opening 16 and an upturned flange 17- extending about the opening. The lower end of the side portion 1 1 has an outwardly extending flange 18 thereon which, in order to be symmetrical, is continuous and normally rests upon and covers the flange 8 and it has a pivot hole 19 in one portion thereof receiving the pivot or post 10, so that the cover may swing around in sliding contact with the top of the cup part in order to uncover the latter. The opposite portion. of the flange 18 has a downwardly extending arm 20 thereon that is normally in contact with the shoulder 13 and opposite to the-receding edge portion 11, the arm having an inwardly extending finger 21 thereon that extends under the flange portion 12 in contact therewith for the purpose of securely holding the cover to the'cup part. The arrangement of the pivot or post 10 relative to the flange is such that when the cover part is swun off and uncovers the cup part, a portion 0 the flange 8 extends beyond the inner face of the side portion 14 and serves as a ledge on which the piston is designed to rest and be retained within the cover part which, as will be seen, is so formed as to provide a recess therein 'for the piston and also the compression spring. 7

A piston rod 22 is movably guided in the openlng formed in the top portion 15 of the cover part and may be pushed downward into the cup part nearly to the bottom thereof, the outer end of the rod being provided with a knob or handle 23 whereby the rod mal position. In case the projecting rod 22 ma ining upon the top of the grease to be may be manipulated and also stoppedin its downward movement if so desired. The

inner end of the rod has a lug collar or stop device 24 thereon enabling-the rod to raise the piston from the cup part. The piston preferably comprises a bottom plate 25 having its middle portion pressed upward. and forming an annular flange 26 receiving the rod 22, a larger plate 27 being placed upon the plate 25 and preferably having a central annular flange 28 extending about and secured to the flange 26. The two plates 25 and 27 obviously may be variously secured together. The plate 27 is pressed so as to form a rim 29 that is less in diameter than the plate 25, and a flange 30 on the rim extending outward opposite to the edge portion of the plate 25 to provide a space in which a packing ring 31 is sprung, the ring being fitted to the interior of the wall portion 6 of the cup and may enter the side portion 14: of the cover part. *A collapsible coil spring 32 extends around the rod 22 and I is seated upon the plate 27 of the piston and also on the under side of the top portion 15 of the cover part, the spring being concealed by the piston within the cover part. In practical use, assuming that the supply of lubricant is to'be replenished, the rod 22 is drawn outwardand it withdraws the pis- 5 ton into the cover part, after which the cover part is swung around by hand, no tool being required, until the cup is uncovered as shown in Fig. 3, the piston and the cover part sliding together across the top of the cup during the shifting operation, and as will be seen, the flange 8 or ledge prevents the piston from descending, so that the piston is not required to be again lifted in order to replace it in the cup, an operation which in cups heretofore in use has required considerable effort owing to the force of the compression spring tending to push the piston downward.

The cup. is readily filled with lubricant which usually is in the form of thick grease, after which it is only necessary to swing the cover part around upon the cup until stopped in the proper position to permit the spring 32 to force the piston down upon the lubricant and slightly compress it, thus permitting the piston to slightly enter the top of the cup and efieetually prevent the cover part from being shifted from its noror its knob 23 is objectionable or in the way of anything, it may be pushed down relatively to the piston and forced into the lubricant, as shown in Fig. 1, the piston re- 12 gradually forced down by the action of its 5 spring.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. A lubricating grease cup including a 1 cup part, a bored cover part, means for permanently connecting the cover part directly to the cup part and enabling the cover part to slide across the top of the cup part in contact therewith, a piston movable in the cup part, and a rod movably guided in the cover part and also in the piston and having a lug collar on its inner end for engaging the piston to draw the latter into the cover part.

2. A lubricating grease cup including a cup part, a recessed cover part slidingly connected to the cup part to uncover the latter, a piston movable into either the cup part or the cover part, a rod guided in the cover part for drawing the piston into the cover part, alspring seated in the cover part and upon the piston, and a device on the cup part for holding the piston in the cover part when the latter uncovers the cup part.

3. A lubricating grease cup including a cup part provided with an external ledge on one side of its upper portion, a recessed cover part pivotally connected to the cup part adjacent to the ledge, the

cover part normally covering the cupv part and being movable over laterally therefrom, a rod movably guided in the cover part, and a piston on the rod and movable into the cover part, the piston being prevented by the ledge from return from the cover part when the latter is moved over from the cup part.

4. In a lubricating grease cup, the combination of a cup part comprising a cylindrical Wall having an outward extending flange, one portion of the flange having a stop shoulder, a cover part pivotally connected at one side to the opposite portion of the flange to be slidingly guided upon the top of the flange, the opposite side of the cover part having an arm thereon normally in contact with the stop shoulder, the arm having a finger thereon engaging the under side of the flange, a rod movably guided in the cover part, and a piston on the rod.

5. In a lubricating grease cup, the combination of a cup part having an annular external flange thereon, the flange being provided with a pivot on one portion and a stop shoulder approximately on the opposite portion thereof, and a cover part having a flange thereon normally resting upon the flange of the cup part, one portion of the flange of the cover part being connected to the pivot to guide the flange slidingly on the flange of the cup part, the opposite portion of the flange of the cover part having an arm thereon normally in contact withthe stop shoulder, a rod movably guided in the cover part, and a piston on the rod.

6. In a lubricating grease cup, a cylindrical cup part having an outward extending flange on its upper end, one portion of the flange at one side of the cup part having a pivot extending longitudinally. relatively to the cylindrical part, the opposite portion of the flange being recessed and having a stop shoulder, in combination with a cover part having a flange normally resting upon the flange of the cup part, one portion of the flange of the cover part being connectedto the pivot, the opposite portion of the flange having an arm thereon in contact with the stop shoulder in the recess, the arm having a finger thereon in contact with the flange of the cup at the recessed portion, a rod extending movably through the cover part, a piston movably retained on the rod, and a spring between the cover part and the piston.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CLARENCE S. RICE.

lVitnesses:

E. T. SILvIUs, M. E. SPARROW. 

